November 2008

getting personal

by Lara on November 23, 2008

in fashion

-What accessories do you wear everyday?
a wide hammered silver band on my right index finger and big silver hoops

-What is your beauty routine?
regular wash/scrub, powdered milk rinse, Philosophy’s Hope in a Jar, black liquid eyeliner, smudged and smokey powder, mascara, bare minerals foundation, nude lipliner, nude lipstick, whatever gloss is around

-What was the last item of clothing (for yourself) that you purchased?
A pair of long blue knitted fingerless gloves for $1

-Do you use a dresser, closet, or both?
dresser, closets, storage nook, extra room, back of the door hangers, under the bed storage boxes…

-What type of earrings are in your ears right now?
none right now… it’s shamefull how many earings I have yet I always wear the hoops

-What type of figure do you have (measurements)?
oooh, that’s a wee bit too personal… short, petite, hourglass, busty, need to deal with about 10 pounds

-Do you wear glasses?
at home

-What type of handbag do you carry?
my trusty studded bag or an interesting little clutch – especially nice since I quit smoking!

-What is your ideal style?
a little classy, a little edgy, a little sexy – sleek, dark, textural, shiny, and above all – comfortable

-What is your favorite brand of jeans?
J Brand, Kill City, and those perfect skinnies that Old Navy doesn’t make anymore

-Do you wear knee-hi stockings?
I do have quite a few knee-hi socks but they’re usually under my jeans or under my covers

-Do you *have* to wear matching lingerie?
considering I can barely find a bra that fits me that has an ounce of sex appeal, that I can afford, I just stick with matching black to black or nude to silly… stereotypical sexy lingerie doesn’t exist for me

-Do you wear makeup?
when I leave the house… yes I’m one of those women

-Do you wear nightgowns?
absolutely not but for some reason, people think I should own them so, I have quite a few

-What outerwear do you put on when going out on a typical winter’s day?
I was fine with hoodies and scarves until it decided to get arctic around here this past week… I have a few wool coats, 2 that go with black, 2 that go with brown

-What is your favorite perfume?
Kenzo Amour

-Is your motto “quality over quantity” when it comes to clothing and accessories?
I like what I like, and I’m requiring a lot more justification for all purchases these days

-Do you wear rain boots?
I have a pair that I have yet to wear

-Do you wear socks or slippers when your feet get cold?
socks…. slippers creep me out with how infrequently they get washed

-Do you have a set of travel luggage?
I do… nothing interesting for going nowhere

-What is your daily uniform?
tight jeans, a basic top, a hoodie and Vans

-If you are married, did you wear a veil with your wedding dress?
I am not, but I was, and I didn’t

-Do you wear a watch?
my phone does a fine job

-What item of clothing always makes you feel beautiful?
heels, boyshorts and knee socks, a strapless dress

-What is your favorite type of yarn?
washable

-Do you prefer zippers or buttons?
zippers please

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+ & -

by Lara on November 23, 2008

in + & -

+

  • such a neat way to waste time doodling with the softest palette – bomomo
  • This is the first time I’ve posted anything for men but… I love this jacket. I’m not a big fan of jackets with elastic at the waist, like bombers and traditional varsity jackets. This one is so sharp!! It would take a special man to pull this off and I would love to see who can do it!

Junya Wantanabe

  • Sakurako Shimizu is a conceptual artist who is laser cutting wave patterns of the various sounds in our environment into jewelry! There are wedding rings that say I DO… and I especially like this sweet idea of a giggle necklace.

  • I love Sonny Vandevelde’s backstage photos at fashion shows. Seeing the outfits in real and playful poses brings a new dimension to high fashion. Here’s his take on the S2009RTW Lanvin collection, one of my favorites.
  • Here are some of my favorite pieces from that collection from Style.com – get a load of the details! These are the kind of clothes I would love to attempt to make. If I could have anything for x-mas, it would be a good adjustable dressform in my size range. Oh to play with drape!!!

    The nude pumps are exactly what I need to be seeing right now.

    • Zoe Bradleycreates daunting paper sculptures with an eye for fashion. Dresses, headpieces, installations and displays, she has an impressive portfolio.
    • This lamp by ET2 is made of chrome and glass. It’s violent, angry, sexy and offensive.

    •  This camera by Takara Tomy isn’t available in the US yet but what fun would this be at a party – a 5mp digital camera that holds 20 sheets of paper and prints your pictures without ink!!
    • I love you but… ”is a picture book about the moment in a relationship when you realize you don’t love someone completely…” by Alex Holder and Ross Neil. Hilarious. Sad. True.

    -

    • WebUrbanist has posted a collection of abandoned theme parks and other recreational places all over the world. It’s quite sad to see how easily we give up the old to move onto the new.
    • The Shiba Inu puppies are getting so big… the end of the live puppy cam is nigh!
    • Fashion terms that need to be killed. I had to add “gorgeous” in the comments, of course.
    •  Newsweek tells the masses how to dress for troubled times. I love that they refer to eccentric Diane Pernett who covers some of the most extravagant art and fashion shows all over the world, simply because she wears the same all black outfit day in and day out. Ridiculous. (The article was nice in that it addresses the honest approach of being true to your authentic self… why a recession has to remind people of this is beyond me.)
    • A friend who I’ve known for over a decade passed away earlier this week. He touched so many lives and I find it amazing how after talking to multitudes of people who regarded him like a brother, no one can think of a single bad thing to say about him. We all can only hope to have a legacy like that.

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ready for something new

by Lara on November 22, 2008

in fashion

I went to the local, big, swanky, outdoor mall on Thursday night with the boy. I can’t believe I’m saying this but I barely saw a thing I wanted. Maybe it’s the sinus issues I’ve been having, mingled with sheer exhaustion but I wasn’t impressed with much of anything.

There was an adorable t-shirt at H&M that had a panel of pleated fabric applied with a bow and little black studs to look like a tuxedo shirt. Even the boy was impressed but alas, not in my size. Damn you tatas! Everything else I had already surveyed a month ago. Things felt very stagnant and it looked like the CDG collection had been wiped out by a swarm of locusts.

I had yet to go to the Urban Outfitters store there. Oh my god. I could live in that place. I even enjoy the way it smells! We split up and I made it my life’s mission to ask the staff if they had this and this and this that I had seen online. They only had one of the this-es, black waxed jeans – barely waxed. I’m dying for a pair of coated jeans but these were a sore disappointment that only looked shiny on the seams. I tried them on anyhow, along with a pair of grey leopard skinnies. No bueno. The mirrors made me look so short and squat. I know I am not that stubby! I made the boy try on the hottest pair of brown Deisel corduroy skinnies. They looked awesome but… were $150. Yeah. No. He got a t-shirt. I got disappointed.

I saw the Steve Madden ripoffs of the Report SignatureMasonic shoes I was in complete love with months ago. I can’t find the SM’s online. It’s just as well. They looked like total crap. The studs were staggered with grommets and they really lost the essence of what Report did. Bastards.

 

Report Signature Masonic

We wandered around a lot of shoe stores and I hate to say this but I’m sick of everything! I think there’s something to be said against reading fashion magazines and getting such early previews online for what will be available and in style later that year. I have been seeing certain styles of shoes since February that were intended to be enjoyed now and I can’t even get excited about them because I’ve been oversaturated. I have two pairs of ankle booties and enough platforms from when they were in a few years ago, I just don’t want to buy anything of the sort right now! The super high platform stilletos are the most impractical shoes. I can’t bring myself to try to class up a fetish shoe (which really is what those Report shoes above are, they just play to the sexpot side of me). Show me something new!

We stood in front of the Bebe store and I drooled over the most perfect outfit (a trim and edgy black leather jacket over a purple satin top that looked like it was shingled with satin squares tucked in a trim black tweed pencil skirt). Baby can’t afford Bebe.

So, after a few more purchases by the boy and a hilarious dinner, I was fine with leaving the shopping mecca of Richmond without anything new but definitely not empty-handed.

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driving with lions

by Lara on November 21, 2008

in photo friday

Apparently there’s a female lion loose in Richmond/Midlothian. I got a text from a freind last week asking if I had been running through the woods with a lion suit on.

I wish.

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bubbles and parabens

by Lara on November 19, 2008

in beauty

I loooove a bubble bath and rarely ever take showers. The only exceptions involve being at the beach, doing intense yard work/cleaning in the summer, or I’m at someone else’s home and I have no other option. I hate showers because I don’t like balancing on a slippery surface while holding a razor blade on a stick. I also don’t like my shaving cream running off my legs before I even get to it or water running in my face when I’m trying to take care of business. Hot showers have a way of irritating my skin as well. I get red and blotchy.

I have a strict and strange routine of how I get ready for a big night out- which really is an indulgent to-do if I have the time. I wash my face and let moisturizer set in while I take a bubble bath, lotion up, then I do my makeup in a towel or temporary pajamas. Then, I hang over the edge of my tub and wash my hair then style it, get dressed and I’m done. Trust me, I have a reasonable explanation for everything – hair in your face when you do your eyeliner is a pain, etc…

As far as bubble bath goes, my favorite is a line called Skin Milk. It’s inexpensive, makes a ton of long-lasting bubbles, is really moisturizing, mild, and the fragrance is comforting but doesn’t compete with my scented lotion and perfume afterwards.

I have always been a sucker for Bath and Body Works but must admit that after all these years of bouncing around the new scents when they come out, I’m kind of sick of their gimmick and can’t stand anything that strong anymore. I still have a few random bottles of lotion laying around and I’m trying to use everything up before I settle on something new, being a waste-not type of gal.

What I’m looking for now is a paraben-free lotion that isn’t oily/greasy and has a nice mild honey/milk/shea scent. I learned about the paraben issue about a year ago and it’s been haunting me ever since. I was told by a friend who worked at a health food store that parabens have been found in high concentrations in breast cancer tumors. You can do your own Google search and see for yourself but, here’s a quote from a 2004 article by the Organic Consumer’s Organization.

Early this year the media reported that English researchers identified parabens in samples of breast tumors. Parabens (alkyl esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid) are widely used as antimicrobial preservatives in thousands of cosmetics, personal care products, pharmaceutical products, and food. There are six commonly used forms (Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, p-Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, n-Butylparaben and Benzylparaben) and it is estimated that they are used in at least 13,200 cosmetics products. According to the lead researcher of the recent study, Philippa Darbre, an oncology expert at the university of Reading, in Edinburgh, the chemical form of the parabens found in 18 of the 20 tumors tested indicated that they originated from something applied to the skin, the most likely candidates being deodorants, antiperspirants, creams, or body sprays.

While this singular study doesn’t necessarily mean there’s any relation, why would you even risk it, if you had easily accessible alternatives? (It really is frightening when you look at all your products and see it on virtually everything. It’s usually at the end of the ingredient list.)

Just because something says “natural” on the label, certainly doesn’t mean it’s free of all things undesirable… and well, chemicals are natural and some things are indeed necessary to stabilize a product. Parabens aren’t one of these things.

Sephora has a bunch of “organic” products but, I would still check the labels first. Trust no one.

Skin Deep is a database that screens products against a toxicity index. (I just found out my favorite bubble bath I just mentioned didn’t score too well, even though it’s paraben free… oh good grief… this is a mess!)

Well, I absolutely refuse to look up my all-time favorite perfume/signature scent – Kenzo Amour. Nothing is tainting my love for that! It is such a comforting scent with “notes of cherry blossom, rice steam, white tea, frangipani, heliotrope, thanaka wood, incense, vanilla and musk” – and is supposed to be “inspired by a couple’s voyage through India, Japan and Vietnam.”

I get as many compliments from women as men, who find it irresistable. Oh, and it lingers for days.

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just a reminder

by Lara on November 19, 2008

in geek

This song kicked ass in 1994 and it still kills today. It’s been on repeat.

And the sky was made of amethyst
and all the stars look just like little fish
you should learn when to go
you should learn how to say no

might last a day yeah
mine is forever
might last a day, yeah
well mine is forever

when they get what they want they never want it again
when they get what they want they never want it again

go on, take everything, take everything i want you to
go on, take everything take everything take everything i want you to

And the sky was all violet I want it again, but more violet, more violet
hey, i’m the one with no soul
one above and one below

go on, take everything take everything i want you to
go on, take everything take everything i want you to

i told you from the start just how this would end
when i get what i want i never want it again

go on, take everything take everyting i want you to
go on, take everything, take everything i want you to
go on, take everything, take everything i want you to
go on, take everything, take everything i want you to
go on take everything take everything take everything take everything

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leather, fur and wood

by Lara on November 18, 2008

in decor,fashion

I want to know what the hell is going on these days!

I’ll start with wood. Do you remember not too long ago when all anyone could talk about was saving the forests? We all knew plastic could be recycled and the rainforest and all the wonderful creatures in it would be spared. Well why has wood become such a huge trend again? I’m talking about the new buzz-word “sustainability”. I’m not talking about bamboo. Bamboo is truly sustainable. That stuff grows so fast we could have bamboo highways. I’m not talking about recycled wood from old buldings or old products being repurposed. I’m talking about hardwood deforesting. Well no kidding, wood is sustainable. You can plant an acorn, walk away and in 50 years you’ll have a killer tree. This doesn’t justify the trend of everything under the sun being made from wood again. All of the design blogs are starting to resemble a Sears catalog from 1976, showcasing tons of new wood products. I find this incredibly irresponsible since the cheaper companies always imitate the higher end companies in a much more haphazard way. “Throw away your perfectly good Swingline stapler for a new ‘eco-friendly sustainable’ wood stapler that will look really cool next to your macbook.” Pardon me but, give me a damn break.

(I also really love the home decor blogs that suggest getting rid of the existing stuff in your home and replacing it with eco-minded stuff. Seriously? Seriously? Apartment Therapy, I’m talking to you! Do you realize what you guys have been saying?)

Now I will divert your attention to fur. Weren’t we all past fur around the time Dallas went off the air? Didn’t all the supermodels say they’d rather be nude than wear fur? Didn’t we all see heinous exposés of baby seals being clubbed? So why, for all that is holy, is fur still being accepted in high fashion? Why is Vogue still allowing Blackglama to advertise this time of year? It’s not like they’re even a major financial player. They’re a meager one-page ad in the center of the magazine. Why oh why is Rick Owens making fur vests?!! (I used to love you Rick… I mean, love you!) I will link to Poochie‘s blog entry about the selfishness of the whole thing because she really did a swell job writing this little piece.

Lastly, leather. Ahhhh leather. Leather is HUGE right now. Leather jackets, leather leggings, surprisingly fresh feeling full leather skirts, leather accessories… and of course there’s leather shoes and bags. I don’t own many things made from leather. My studded belt that I’ve had since my punky heyday still fits and I will always wear it. I’m not a vegetarian and that cow was eaten a looooong time ago. I’m also just now starting to really appreciate the joy of an insanely comfortable shoe which, for the most part, is not a stiff synthetic one. (I’m very curious about the comfort of Natalie Portman’s vegan shoe line for Té Casan.) Beyond all of this, and my love of a rare steak, I have been giving more and more thought of going vegetarian.

I truly believe that fur in fashion could easily be eliminated tomorrow and the world would be a much better place. However, I do not believe that we as a society are anywhere near wholeheartedly embracing vegetarianism. Right or wrong, we are a burger and steak culture that has spread it’s unhealthy influence across the globe. McDonalds opening sleek no-brand quarter-pounder only chains in Japan is testimony to the fact that we have such a long way to go. What is the answer? Do we boycott the leather that comes from these cows that are undoubtedly going to be eaten? Many people do but the beef business is still huge. Do we push harder for humane cattle raising? How can it even be properly regulated and monitored at the large scale it has currently reached? (In 1998, demand for beef was the lowest it had been in 20 years. Last year, we took a huge leap forward with demand. Have you seen those disgusting Hardee’s ads?)

What it all comes down to is personal choices. Choices direct the market. A low demand will lower supply. It couldn’t be more simple, and actually lends importance to your power as an individual consumer. I just have this strange feeling that things have run off course. I feel as if a lot of good was done a decade ago for love and respect for our planet and animals. Now the “green revolution” is a contradictory fad and so many people have forgotten about humane treatment of our animal friends.

Let’s go make some good choices!

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perspective

by Lara on November 17, 2008

in fashion

Hello! I haven’t contributed to this wee blog for a short while. After being bedridden for 3 days with strep throat, things begin to pile up around you, errands need to be run, laundry needs to be done and people you have missed need to be kissed. A lot. These are the things that really matter.

I don’t know where I’m ultimately going with this blog entry but I have a few things I want to get on my chest.

First off, I want to clarify my stance on consumerism, fashion, art… and the point of this blog in general. I love a lot of things: the sciences, mathematical theory, history, literature, philosophy, international politics and economics, psychology, arts, crafts, photography, architecture, music and fashion. Fashion does seem to be the main focus here but I think I’m on the right track of having all the other things I love dotted throughout.

I started reading fashion magazines when I was inappropriately young. I never really tried to emulate any of the styles. I just enjoyed the theatrics of the editorials, the perspectives and techniques employed by the photographers, and the attention to detail of the designers and their seamstresses. The first time in my youth that I truly wanted an article of clothing to the point of desperate pleading and hysterical bratty fits (directed towards my mother) was when my still best friend Angie showed up in 3rd grade (1987) with lace-up ankle boots (much like what is in style right now) that fit her tiny feet. Her mother had found them at a thrift store so the chances of myself getting a pair of Madonna-esque “Like a Virgin” heels that fit me were slim to none. My ever-patient mother still took me all over town to try to find a pair anyhow, to no avail. The next big thing was about a decade later with those stupid stupid Doc Martens. I bought them 2 hours away at a Nordstrom in DC and slept in them that night. I did get into goth and punk and whatnot but for the most part, I dressed in the style of the boys. So you see, I never really cared that much about appearances and when I did try, things felt very awkward.

It wasn’t until I was around 20 that I realized something was off with my style. I had spent a year in a very random marriage (I’ll save that story for another time) and this odd year landed me at a crossroads where I was in a state of limbo. It was the end of dressing like a boy and the beginning of becoming an adult and I had no idea what to do. My friend and coworker at the time taught me the virtues of a good pair of bootcut jeans, interesting tops and strappy heels. My life was forever changed and fashion was no longer a spectator sport. I was finally in the game. A decade later, I now truly feel like I’m comfortable with my style decisions. I know what my limits are, I no longer feel the need to experiment (there were some doozies) and I can still appreciate what is beautiful in a magazine and never expect to emulate it. (Oh, and I’m still most comfortable dressing like one of the boys – jeans, hoodies and skate shoes.)

This brings me to this blog. I don’t ever want anyone to feel like this is the stuff that really matters in life, or that I think it is. Fashion is so far from being truly important it’s almost embarassing that I enjoy it so much. Fashion is a guilty pleasure. It’s an appreciation of things that one can adorn themselves with. It’s vain. It’s shallow. It’s a ton of fun but, a pretty dress doesn’t make you a pretty person. Good fashion sense and being a savy shopper isn’t going to win you the life you’ve always dreamed of. (Being uber trendy in a sea of people who just want to be clean and comfortable can actually make you less approachable.) When I finally began to love who I was on the inside was when I finally felt confident in/with clothing. This is no cooincidence. So, please don’t take this blog seriously. Seriously. This is just a collection of things I think are pretty, innovative, fun, or just plain sick.

The endless parade of expensive shoes/clothes purchases I see on a lot of the fashion blogs can easily make a reader feel inadequate because this is no longer the land of fantasy magazine spreads of designer clothes and celebrity photo shoots. In those days, you knew there was no way in hell anyone “normal” could afford that stuff. It was pure escapism. Now, the blogosphere consists of real people that you can really relate to, who may or may not be more financially secure than they let on, or may be getting themselves into some serious financial trouble to keep up with a certain image.

At the end of the day, my heels and adorable dress aren’t going to make me laugh and smile and feel truly wanted in this world. Being a kind and generous person who is there for those in need is what really matters. It’s still okay to appreciate the pretty once in a while.

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journal

by Lara on November 15, 2008

in fashion

These two pages from my journal are from around this time last year. Not much has changed. The multi-tone Miu Miu pumps are still being ripped off, although I never saw anyone else do the gem encrusted heel caps. Purple is still huge and feathers are as well.

06/07 is when I fell in love with Lanvin again (the bottom right purple dress). Elber Albaz has been doing beautiful things with architectural flattering pieces and I’m equally excited about his S09RTW collection. Wow.

Check out those sandals at the top center! This style is everywhere now! Oh, and that Dior bag…

The central black outfit is Calvin Klein. I really wanted to replicate this look – a slim chunky black sweater, a tight pencil skirt under a flounced mini mini over opague tights. I never found the crucial components… maybe one day. Black and grey stripes are still huge. I’ve been heavily drawn to them this season and grabbed a bunch of long striped tanks at H&M on clearance. They’ve been peaking from beneath shorter tops for some added interest with skinnies. This page is sparse but just feels cozy.

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have some damn class

by Lara on November 14, 2008

in fashion

When I was a little girl, a family moved in a few houses down and the daughter and I became fast friends. One Halloween, we dressed up glamorously from our dress-up chests and handed out candy at my front door in too big high heels, boas, and costume jewelry. The shoes my little friend was wearing were given to her by her aunt to play in and the heel tips had worn off, leaving the slender metal stems. (She was told that these were special tap dancing shoes.) There are still little indentations in the hardwood floor from her stomping up and down the hallway. She was a child and didn’t know better. Adults have no excuse.

Stilettos are the worst. That tiny surface suffers the brunt of your weight pounding against pavement. You usually have some warning though. If you have a favorite pair that you walk long distances in on a regular basis, you will begin to see the metal shaft showing through. This is the time to take your heels to a shoe repair shop… not when it completely falls off and ends up damaging the rest of the heel. It can cost anywhere from, $5-$10 to add new heel tips to your beloved shoes. The shop will usually give them a good polish to get your shoes looking like new before they hand them back to you. It takes less than 10 minutes.

I’m a huge fan of burlesque queen Dita Von Teese and when she went down in the annals of crotch shot history, the first thing I noticed were her busted Louboutins, not her g-string.

This infuriates me! First off, these shoes cost hundreds of dollars, which is probably pocket change to Ms. Teese. (All the more reason to at least have them replaced if not repaired.) I’m sure she’s a very busy woman and doesn’t have time to think about such things but; she has paid assistants! This is also certainly not the only pair of black dress shoes that she owns so why not another option? Why didn’t someone take care of these shoes! They are ruined now. Not only has the sole worn down but, the platform and surrounding leather has been damaged. This could’ve been prevented.  

I bought a pair of strappy patent platforms of a similar style a few years ago and found that with regular wear, the tips of platform shoes are prone to such damage. Before the leather was about to get mangled, I rushed them to my trusty shoe repair man and asked what could be done. He cut the existing sole right where it begins to angle upward and replaced it with an even more durable sole. For $15 my shoes were saved. I would rather be sitting with my legs crossed and have a bit of a mismatched sole showing than a destroyed trashy shoe.

Money obviously cannot buy class.

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